Rabaul Again Heavily Pounded

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 53, 6 March 1944, Page 5

Rabaul Again Heavily Pounded

Received Sunday, 6.30 p.m. SYDNEY, March 5. After a one-day respite from the relentless Allied aerial assault Rabaul (New Britain) was again pounded by Allied Solomons-based aircraft on Thursday. On Wednesday the weather was so had that our aircraft were unable to get through to Rabaul. This was the first day since February 15 that the base had not been bombed. In the latest raid 161 tons of explosives were dropped. Two small cargo ships were set on fire and many hits were scored on a gunboat and a cluster of 30 barges in Keravia Bay. The damage in the town was also heavy and many buildings were demolished. In the nearby waters light naval units at night sank three Japanese barges carrying troops. Twelve other barges were destroyed or damaged in an aerial sweep along the coast. Hansa Bay on the New Guinea coa.,t is also receiving a terrific pounding. General MacArthur’s latest comm’iT.iquo reports a record raid on this target, 243 tons of bombs being dropped on aerodromes in the area which are the principal objectives. One of e { ght enemy intercepting fighters was shot down. Madang, another important Japanese supply base now threatened by the Allied advances along the Rai coast and through the Finisterre mountair.3, was hit with 50 tons of bombs. On Wednesday when Allied bombers were unable to get through to Rabaul they diverted their attention to enemy targets on Bougainville Island. About 200 tons of bombs were dropped on a n?:mber of objectives, chiefly on Japanese positions beyond the American beach head at Empress Augusta Bay.